A Perth mother has labelled a decision to house serial rapist Patrick Alfred Dennis Comeagain in units alongside people she says are "vulnerable" as "inappropriate.
Rebecca (not her real name) told radio 6PR that residents at the block of units where her son lived felt threatened and frightened when they found out Comeagain was living in the complex.
She said her son, who has physical and brain injuries after a car crash several years ago, has been living in the complex in a Perth suburb since December and was recently made aware of his new neighbour's criminal past.
Comeagain was released from prison in June on a strict supervision order that included curfews and electronic monitoring.
He was run out of a regional WA town earlier this year and has faced court several times in recent months charged with breaching his bail conditions.
Comeagain's address is the subject of a suppression order so Fairfax Media is unable to name the suburb where the units are located.
Rebecca said residents were not told the registered sex offender was moving in.
"Somebody else in the units recognised him as a result of him appearing on a news program," she said.
"We were all very, very concerned.
"The units house vulnerable young women; one young woman has a physical disability after receiving surgery.
"There are children in the complex."
Rebecca said her son's girlfriend, who has young children, sometimes stays over with the kids but did not feel she could with Comeagain living in the complex.
"He can't do that anymore," she said.
Rebecca said one of the men in the complex suffers from a mental illness and feels threatened about Comeagain's presence.
Another woman is too scared to leave her unit.
"It's almost like a time bomb waiting to go off," Rebecca said.
"I feel the housing he's been allocated is totally inappropriate."
Rebecca said the Department of Housing initially denied Comeagain was housed in the complex but they soon confirmed he was.
"I've raised it with the Minister for Housing, Minister for Police, Corrective Services and also Outcare," she said.
Rebecca said she wants Comeagain moved to a "more appropriate" location.
A Department of Housing spokesperson said the property in question is "head-leased to prisoner support and transitioning organisation Outcare".
"It is not tenanted or managed by the Department of Housing and the department is not routinely advised of who occupies any of these Outcare properties, as they are managed by Outcare," the spokesperson said.
Outcare was contacted in regards to Comeagain but a spokeswoman said the service provider was unable to comment on the matter.
A spokesman for the Department of Corrective Services would not comment directly on this matter.
He said the department and the WA Police Sex Offender Management Squad were continuing to manage and supervise dangerous sex offenders in the community such as Comeagain.
"Mr Comeagain was released into the community by the Supreme Court on a strict supervision order and must comply with 43 conditions which include, constant GPS monitoring, random visits, drug and alcohol testing, curfews and reporting requirements," the spokesman said.
"If Mr Comeagain does not comply with any of the conditions set out in his supervision order, department of corrective services will deal promptly with the breach.
"This can include returning him to custody."
Liberal member for the north metropolitan region in the Legislative Council Peter Katsambanis has told Radio 6PR "the safest place for them (sex offenders) to be both for them and the community is in jail".
-WAtoday.
